


Free Fall

by queerofthedagger



Series: Merlin Stories [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Don't copy to another site, First Kiss, Isn't it always Bandits?, M/M, bandits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23949706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queerofthedagger/pseuds/queerofthedagger
Summary: It has not been long since Arthur learnt of Merlin's magic, not nearly enough time to rebuild the trust between them. But if they want to survive, Arthur might just have to take a chance.Or: Desperate times call for desperate measures, and sometimes, the outcome is far better than expected.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728040
Comments: 35
Kudos: 498





	Free Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not repost my work anywhere or list it on goodreads (or similar sites).

Merlin’s legs are burning and his breath is coming out in short puffs, little white clouds in the biting winter air, but he doesn’t pay attention to any of it. His eyes are fixed on the occasional glimmer of red, of pale sunlight reflecting on polished armour, and the single-minded thought that he can’t lose sight of Arthur.

Well, nearly single-minded; he has just enough mental capacity left to curse himself, Arthur, and every single, blasted bandit in the whole of Albion into the next century. He should’ve known better than to expect a standard patrol to go by without an incident because really, when do they ever?

He’s so distracted by mourning the day he heard the words ‘ _destiny_ and _coin_ ,’ in the same sentence that he nearly runs straight into Arthur as they stumble into a small clearing. 

Though, on second glance, it’s more the edge of the forest, opening up to a steep fall of several hundred feet. He can only just make out jagged stones on the ground beneath them while the sounds of cracking branches and shouting voices are rapidly coming closer.

“Damn it,” Arthur hisses, pulling Merlin’s attention away from the literal precipice they’re standing on, and he can see his own frustration and resignation mirrored in Arthur’s eyes.

It takes him longer than he cares to admit to remember that this is not as hopeless as it might seem, even though the mere idea sends his heart into another fit.

“Do you trust me?” he asks, his eyes searching Arthur’s as he begs that his voice doesn’t come out as desperate as he suspects it to be. It’s a loaded question – it has not been long since he finally found the courage to confess his magic to Arthur, and their relationship has been strained ever since.

Granted, all things considered, Arthur took the whole thing better than expected, especially the magic part. Merlin can’t begrudge him the lingering hurt for the lies though, and he knows that it mostly needs time.

Time they don’t have right now, surrounded by a ridiculously high number of bandits, with the knights the goddess knows where, and no chance that Arthur – skilled as he may be – would be able to take even a quarter of them out.

“Merlin, even you can’t take out these numbers. Don’t be ridiculous,” Arthur grinds out, his eyes flicking away from him and back to scanning the treeline.

He bites back the first impulse to bristle because, quite honestly, he probably could. But he doubts that it would be particularly helpful in terms of getting Arthur to stop watching him with wariness when he thinks Merlin doesn’t notice.

“Not what I meant,” he finally says with a shake of his head. “Listen, we don’t have time to discuss this right now, and I know it’s all difficult between us and you’d probably answer that question with a ‘ _no_ ,’ if you were honest, but – “

A loud shout from their right cuts him off, and he closes his eyes for a second. “Just – trust me, for now?”

Arthur stares at him for long moments, his eyes roaming over Merlin’s face as if searching for something until he finally nods.

It’s not nearly as reassuring as Merlin hoped it would be, as it inevitably brings his attention back to what he’s planning to do.

“Give me your hand,” he presses out through his strangled throat, and he spares another brief second to marvel at the fact that Arthur simply does as he’s told, even though there’s a frown forming between his brows.

Merlin takes a deep breath and wraps his magic around both of them. The moment he can hear people crashing through the underbrush, he tugs at Arthur’s hand, pulling him into the direction of the edge. “Run!”

He can feel Arthur’s steps falter behind him, hears the panicked shout of, “Merlin!” but he ignores it, relieved when Arthur doesn’t use his full weight to hold them back. Just as the first arrow whizzes through the air, he throws them both over the edge, intoning the spell he just _prays_ to whoever is listening will work.

For long, terrifying moments, he thinks he has failed, that it might have been a good idea to be certain that it would actually work, but just as he resigns himself to ending as a fleck of flesh and blood, impaled on stones, their nauseating fall slows and they float softly to the ground.

The wave of relief washing through him when it sinks in that they made it is so intense that it nearly brings him to his shaking knees, and he can’t stop the bark of slightly hysterical laughter from breaking free.

“Oh gods, I’m so glad this worked,” he breathes out as he turns to Arthur, though all amusement dies in his throat at the sight of Arthur staring at him with wide eyes.

Merlin’s words seem to snap him out of his stupor though, and his eyes narrow. “You weren’t even sure it _would_?” His voice is low and flat, and Merlin has to force himself to not take a step back.

Wringing his hands, he gives a jerky shrug. “I mean – I was mostly sure? The alternatives would’ve been fighting or – “ he cuts himself off before he finishes with _‘calling the dragon,_ ’ rather certain that it would _not_ help his case right now.

Arthur’s lips twitch, and some of the tension drains from his shoulders, but Merlin is still hard-pressed to turn and run, again, when Arthur crosses the short distance between them, his hands landing on Merlin’s shoulders.

“Only you, _Mer_ lin,” he says, and the whole thing is quickly getting too confusing for his adrenaline-addled mind.

At least, that’s what he’s going to blame the high squeak on that leaves his throat when Arthur suddenly leans in and kisses him, one hand moving to his neck and tangling in his hair.

When the first shock passes, he can’t do anything but melt against Arthur, his arms coming up to wrap around Arthur’s waist and pull him infinitely closer. Arthur’s breath is hot against his skin, and the smell of leather and forest makes his heart glow in contentment.

“If I knew that’s all it takes for you to do this, I would’ve thrown us off a cliff ages ago,” he murmurs when Arthur eventually pulls away slightly, his forehead resting against Merlin’s.

Arthur huffs a short laugh and kisses the corner of his mouth, the gesture so tender that it nearly makes Merlin’s knees buckle.

There are probably a hundred things they have to worry about, starting with getting back to Camelot, but for the first time in weeks, there’s no doubt in Merlin’s mind that they’re going to be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've fallen deeply into the Merlin-fandom, and while I already started writing a longer fic, I'm doing some Oneshots on the side. I hope you enjoyed this, I'd be happy to hear what you think! <3
> 
> You can also find me on [Tumblr](https://queenofthedagger.tumblr.com/)


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